Prayer

The simplest thing…prayer.  This week, we went out to do some listening prayer in the community.  I felt like God was telling me to go into Publix the grocery store.  We sat and prayed about it for a little while and Caitlin and Renee from my group decided to come in with me.  We were walking around and I was looking for someone I could help to start a conversation (such as a short old lady who needed help getting something off the shelf, then I remember how short I am myself – who else is really shorter??).  As we kept walking and kind of shopping and looking at stuff as we walked, I started to get frustrated that there didn’t seem to be anyone we could talk to or strike up a conversation with.  I wanted to show Christ to someone by helping them, but there seemed to be no opportunities.

Walking down one of the aisles, I asked the other girls, do you feel guilty that we’re just kind of shopping and doing nothing?  shouldn’t we be doing something for God, that’s what they brought us out here for.  Caitlin calmly turned and said, “no, we’re being led.” And it gave me such peace because then I felt as thought the guilt I was feeling was not needed and I had no reason to feel that way.  We walked about five steps further and I stopped, grabbed Caitlin and said, “We could just be walking and praying for each person we pass.  Maybe God sent us in here just to pray for each one!”  She looked over, started laughing and I quickly realized, that’s what she had been doing the whole time even as I continued to talk her ear off (I am a verbal processor, so I think outloud alot, as most people know).  She said with excitment, “YES!  Exactly.”

God taught me alot about prayer that day.  I am someone who always feels the need to be doing something.  I feel I have to be helping somone or I have to be talking to someone, but have I stopped and realized the importance of prayer?  And how powerful prayer is!?!?  It’s quite amazing and Jesus talks about prayer so many times in His word and He said His house should be a house of prayer.  Our ministry is nothing without prayer behind it.  I am so thankful God is patient with me as He teaches me something new everyday!  So, never underestimate the power of prayer.  You never know what your prayers will do!  God listens to each and everyone of them.

John 14:13-14

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 
If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 15:7

 
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.